Chain fastener



Dec. 4, 1923. 1,476,451- F. C. LE MES SURIER ET AL CHAIN FASTENER Filed May 12. 1923 b 244 v 1a 11 v F 4, wa m wk ATTORA/EY Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

TATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKC. LE nssoaina AND FRANK E. STAHL, or ronAwANnA, new YORK, nssienoas re THE COLUMBUS mcxrnnon CHAIN (30., or COLUMBUS, OHIO, a con PORATION OF OHIO.

CHAIN FASTENER- Application filed May 12, 1923. Serial N0. 638,634.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK C. LE Mns SURIER and FRANK E; STAHL, citizens of the United States, residing at Tonawanda, in the county of Erie and State of'New York, have invented an Improvement in Chain Fasteners, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to chain tighteners and fasteners, and the present device, although well adapted for various purposes, is designed more particularly for use upon non-skid tire chains as a rim chain fastener. In securing non-skid-chains to automobile tires, it is desirable that the rim chains be provided with fasteners which may be readily manipulated to tighten the chains about a tire and to secure the ends ofthe chains together, and'rthat the fasteners be so constructed that they may be easily released by hand but will not become unfastened while in use.. 7

Since it may be necessary at frequent intervals to apply non-skidchains to automobile tires and to remove them therefrom, it is importantthat the operations of securing the chains to the tires and removing them. from the tires be as simple 'as possible, while at the same time it is essential that the securing means be strong enough to withstand the severe stresses to which it is subjected while in use, and that it be free from the possibilityv of becoming unfastened while in use.

Various types of chain fasteners have been proposed heretofore in. an effort to meet the above requirements, but none of these fasteners areientirely satisfactory, and the present invention is directed to a chain fastener that'is simple inconstruction, may.

structed in' accordance with the vention. I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a vchain fastener constructed in accordance with the present invention and shows the cha n securing lever in the partly closed posltlon. I Fig. 3.is a view similar .to. Fig. 2, showingthe lever in the closed position and held in this position by hand while the fastening means is being slipped by hand over the outer end of the lever; and Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview showing the chain fastening means secured in'its fastening position.

-In'Fig. 1 of the drawing a portion of an automobile tire '8 is shown as having a noIPskid tire chain secured thereto and consisting of the rim chain 79 disposed atone side of the tire and the cross chains 10 extending across the tread of the tire from one rim chain to the other, and the endsv of the chain 9 are shown as secured togetherrby the lever 11 ofthe present chain fastener.

The lever 11 is shown as provided with an elongated shank 12 having a transversely extending head 13 at. one end thereof and at the opposite end of the shank 12 is provided an offset portion, 14, and the construction is such that a link receiving notch present in- 15 is formed at the juncture of the shank 12 and offset portion 14. The head 13 preferably extends laterally'in a direction substantially at, right angles to. the plane of the offset portion-14, and'the lever 11. may

conveniently be made' of sheetfmetal having the configuration shown, and the head combined shank and offset portion The chain fastener of the present invention may be used as a fastener for practically any type of chain, and in the present case the chain 9 is shown as formed of elongated links 16 having a well known construction. The offset portion 14 of the lever 11 is adapted'to be pivotally secured to the chain upon which the same is to be used, and in r the presentcase the lever .11 is conveniently secured to the end link'16 by a pivotpin 17 which passes throughthe eyes formed at. one end of the'link 16, and throughthe ofi'set portion 14; and this-pivotpin may be secured in: shown. The construction of the lever 11 is such that its outer end may be inserted through a link 18, or other element, as shown in .Eig. 2, and as this lever is swung forward about its pivot 17 to the position shown in Fig. 3, it will tighten the chain 9 as will be apparent; and in the present casethe meansifor maintaining the lever 11 in the position shown in :Fig 3,= consists of an elongated ring 19 which may be secured to a lateral side of a link of the chain -9, "as best shown in Fig. 2.- The constructionof the ring 19 is preferably-such that it'may be slipped freely over the head 13 upon the outer endof the lever when the ring is turned to a position to bring its "longitudinal axis substanplace by riveting itsa ends -as tially into the plane of the 1 transversely v extendng 'head 13, butthis ring will not pass over the headf13 whenthe longitudinalaxis of thering' isdispo'sed atsubstantially right angles to the head as shown in Fig; 4:. This construction is :important "because it permits the ring 19 to be readily i-slipped 'over-"the'hea'dl3 when-the parts are in the position-shown in Fig. '3 to engage'the-shank ofithe lever or to release the lever, but the rring will' not-:pass over the head 13 when 'theparts are in the position shown in Fi'gx. It should "be noted that as long as ratension is exerted vupon thefichain-9 the link 18: which lies-to 1onei-side of the'lever pivot 17-, tends to -swing 1the1leverll outwardly from; the chain 9 to which it is secured, and this serves' to hold the-shank 12' atone end of the elongated Iring=19 as will'be' apparent 'from Fig. 4:, and whiletheiparts are maintained K in' this position it is impossible "for the ring to escape from 'the end of the 'lever and'releasesthe same.

From the "foregoing description when read in connection -with-"the drawing it will ibe seen that the construction of the present chain *-'fastener is such that the lever '11 serves to tighten 'a c'hain as the lever 1 is moved: to its chain-securing position, and that the lever aup on *being: swung to the position I shown I in Fig. 3fmay bereadily secured in lthis posi- *tion in such amannerthat all danger -of the :parts being accidently released is avoided.

7 :As above pointed'out the tension of the chain :9: serves to -hold the I shank of 'the' lever 11"-at one end-o ftheelongated ring 19, which preventsxthe link from escaping from the outer Iend 10f this'lever, and whenthe present chain fasteneris used to connect the ends of a Tim zefrom the send 10f the lever.

:Itshould be noted that thelever 11 normally extendscentrally alongthe chain 9, and since the elongated ring 19 is looped about a laterally .disposed. side of a link it will extend in an,.inclined 'dire'ctionlfrom the link to the shank. as will beapparent'ifrom -Eig.- 4,-and if the tension of the chain'is relieved sufficiently to permit the lever 11 to iniove downwardlyslightly by gravity rela tive to the chain,'then the fact that one end of the ring is looped-about-a=lateralssideof ailink will help to maintain the opposite end of the ring in engagement with -ztl1e -2shank 12,-frWl1'i'O'l1' lS desiredtozprevent the'ring from slipping over the head 113. tlt will 'rhe understood-that the'ri-m chain fnot shown') bnton the opposite side of .the tire 8 m'ay'l'be 'provided with a similar chainfastenen What: is claimed is tightener and fastener comprising, a *lever consisting ofan elongated shank adapte'd to --be in'sertedthrough- 'a link and having 1a transversely extendi-ng' 'head lat one end rand an offset portionaat its: other end dormin-g" a .link receiving notch at :tlie juncturet ofithe shan'kfand 'oftsehportion;means for securing t'he offsetportiona'of-the lever to a chain, and ran Pelongated ring izhaving 1 one end :looped rza'bout one of the lateralf'si'des': ofa'a: link of the itightener and-fastener vvcomprising, a aalever consistingiofian=elongated shank adaptedrto 3 be inserted through 'fa link fand ("having a ilnvcombinationwith 'a-'chain,a-a fchain transversely extendingrhead 'attone end and v van-'ofiset portion "at gits other end a-forniinga ilink receivingnotch at thejuncture of the shank" and offset portion,imeans'iforsecuring the offset portion of the.leverstosaiclraingand san 'lon'gatedileverssecuringfiring having one oendlooped aboutlone :o'fi'the lateralsidestot'a lin'k of the chain awith :its opposite endaexi'tending outwardlyiand Ffree totswing trans- Wersely to the #direct'ion "in awhich: :the (chain (extends and rconstrncted'i to :clear 'Fsaid ahead only-"upon the'i-longitudinal:raxiszofithe ring being b-roughtito afiposition to extend in sthe general -:'tran-sverse directionrof saidchea'd.

in s'combination with :a chain; acchain '5 tightener and sfastener comprising, "a lever c'onsistingfo'fian elongatedsliank adapted t0 be inserted "through e a -linkwand having ra transversely extending head at one en'd'and an offset portion at its othenendiforming a 'link receiving zn'otchratthe zjuncture a'o'fi the :Jshank-iand oiifset portionnmeans fern-securing the oifsetrportioniof the levers-Ratio aeehain, Til- 30? and an elongated lever holding'means secured to one of the lateral sides of a link of the chain and free to swing transversely to the direction in which the chain extends and constructed to be slipped over said head into locking engagement with the lever shank upon swinging of the holding means to a position in which its longitudinal axis extends in the general transverse direction or said head.

4:. In combination with a chain, a chain tightener and fastener comprising, a lever consisting of an elongated shank adapted to be inserted through a link and having a head at one end and an offset portion at its other end forming a link receiving notch at the juncture of the shank and ofiset portion, means for securing the offset portion of the lever to a chain, and an elongated ring for securing the lever in place having one end looped about one of the lateral sides of a link of the chain with its opposite-end extending outwardly from the link and free to swing transversely to the direction in which the chain extends and constructed to clear said head only whenthe ring is swung to a position in which it extends transversely of the spaced sides of the link.

5. In combination with a chain, a chain tightener and fastener comprising, a lever consisting of an elongated shank having a head at one end and an ofiset portion at its other end and a link receiving notch at the juncture of the shank and ofiset portion, means for securing the lever pivotally to the chain to extend centrally along the latter, and an elongated lever fastening ring looped about one of the lateral sides of a link of the chain and adapted to be slipped over said head and about said shank to extend in an inclined direction from a laterally disposed side of a link to the centrally disposed lever with one end of the elongated ring engaging a lateral side of a link and the other end of the ring embracing the lever.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

FRANK 0. LE MESSURIER. FRANK E. STAHL. 

